That excuse doesn't count on WiiU anymore, aka the rehash machine without any kind of vision or overall concept.
What one person sees as rehashing old concepts, you could also see as showing how tried and tested concepts can be made fresh by implementing the new controls, and second screen functionality.
Nintendo have always had the gameplay concept in mind first, and then typically will pick an existing franchise, world or character set which will "benefit" or work with that gameplay.
It is either good to refresh existing franchises with new ideas, or a shame that so few of these new gameplay ideas have been given their own worlds and characters.
Mass character control became Pikmin, and was given characters and worlds.
Voice and touch character interaction became Nintendogs.
Motion and physical contol became the Wii ________ series of games, and have the Mii's and WuHu Island.
Steel Diver is a new series (not one I am familiar with).
Flying and Shooting was used to bring back the Kid Icarus franchise.
